Police searched 262 locations around the country on Thursday and arrested 542 foreigners who have been living in Thailand illegally and/or committed criminal offences.

Pol Col Nithithorn Jintakanon, acting traffic police chief, held a press conference at 2.30am on Friday at the car park of the RCA (Royal City Avenue) entertainment complex near New Phetchaburi Road, Bangkok, to announce the results of the 25th Operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner.

He said 48 foreigners had been arrested for overstaying their visas, 262 for sneaking into the kingdom without a visa and 232 others on other charges.

Nithithorn said this was the 39th crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Thailand, with the previous operations called Operation Black Eagle.

Police have so far conducted more than 5,570 searches and arrested 4,773 foreigners, with more than 3,500 foreigners blacklisted and deported, Nithithorn added.